Chapter 23 – Weeks After
Four weeks after the funeral, I went out and trained hard with Edward and Alphonse, still upset with myself that I couldn't kill Envy when I had the chance. On the forth day, I built up the strength in myself to tell Mustang about Hughes' death and what I saw.
"Colonel?" I asked as I knocked on the door.
"Come in, Crimson," his voice answered in a soft whisper. He knew I could hear, and I swiftly opened up the door and locked it behind me. The colonel was sitting behind his desk, his jacket pealed off, and his eyelids droopy with fatigue. He looked up from the large pile of paperwork he had on his desk. "What is it, Crimson."
"You look horrible," I gasped slightly, walking farther into the room. He sighed, and removed the papers off of his desk. "I want to talk to you about Hughes and how he died, Colonel." He looked at me.
I do not have the heart to talk about him at the moment, Crimson, he thought. He knew I would be listening. "I don't care, sir," I said. "It involved Murder." That got him to move. He looked up at me and snapped his flinted fingers. Fire appeared right in front of my face. I didn't move.
"Why the hell would she do that?" he snapped. He was talking to himself more than he was talking to me, but I answered anyway.
"I killed Revenge, sir," I said, my voice soft, eyes downcast. "In an attempt to save myself, Fullmetal, and his brother." I noticed how wrong I was when I did kill him. Killing Revenge killed Hughes. Both Envy and Murder were getting their own revenge.
"I know that, but why would she do it?" he asked, rubbing his temples.
"She was Revenge's lover, sir. She was seeking her own version of revenge when Envy strolled around and met up with him. She lent him her power; he did the dirty work as she watched from the sidelines." I cursed myself for letting Envy get away when I could have killed him. Now, one of my closest friends and co-workers was dead. Mustang sighed.
"Is that all you came in here for?" he asked. I shook my head.
"No, sir. I ask permission to be able to travel around, looking of the last two, Murder and Hatred, as well as Envy. I wish to kill them all myself," I said, standing straight. My hair had grown out, now grazing inches past my shoulders, but now it was placed in a clip at the back of my head, just like the standard woman military uniform.
"Granted. Take Fullmetal and his brother with you, and keep in touch. I want you out no longer than five months, max, got it?" he barked. I sighed for the short length of time he gave me, and for sending Edward and Alphonse with me, but I saluted and left, before being called back by Mustang. "Crimson?"
"Yes sir?" I asked, turning to face him while unlocking the door.
"Don't die on me," he said, a small smile pulled at his lips. I nodded with a smile as well.
"You too, Mustang," I said. "Now, as Vampire of the Fuhrer, I order you to leave your desk, go get a drink, and then get some sleep. You need it." He smiled, and I left the room, telling Riza what I told him, and also to watch over him when I was gone.
Stay strong, Mustang I thought. Don't be berated by the past.